Thrown Into Chaos
by UrbanChameleon
Summary: The Uchiha's coup d'etat has been a success. Fugaku made his move before Shisui and Itachi had a chance to stop him. Now they want to help bring Fugaku down and restore Hiruzen to his rightful place before it's too late. As Konoha is thrown into chaos, will they be able to stop the impending civil war threatening to destroy the village from within?
1. Seizing Control

**Chapter 1 - Seizing Control**

All of Konoha's shinobi had assembled in the courtyard behind the Hokage Tower. The day was overcast, with leaden clouds gathering in the sky. On the balcony where the Hokage was to come and make his announcement, two ANBU stood guard, hidden behind their painted masks.

The assembly had been requested on short notice, early that morning, and no one seemed to know what it concerned. As a result, the wait made people fidget and whisper among themselves. Some remarked upon the rather formal presence of the entire Konoha Police Force. The Uchiha stood rigidly at the back of the courtyard, glaring at anyone who so much as turned their head toward them.

At long last, the doors opened and Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped onto the balcony. The Council followed him, along with a fifth person, whose presence there elicited fervent whispers from the crowd. Fugaku Uchiha came to a halt one step behind the Hokage, looking down at everyone assembled.

Hiruzen cleared his throat and approached the railing, placing his withered hands on it. The crowd fell silent, waiting for him to speak. He was looking down, his gaze vacant, as if he were in some far place. Moments passed in silence. Thunder rolled distantly, bearing the threat of rain. At long last, the Hokage spoke.

"I have asked you all to come here today," he said, looking up to meet their eyes. It seemed as if he were looking right through them. "To tell you that I have decided to resign from my position as the leader of this village."

A few sounds of surprise reached up to the balcony, but Hiruzen did not notice. He continued, in a deadpanned voice:

"I feel I have grown too old to hold this position. Konoha needs a younger leader if we are to affirm our position as a strong shinobi village. The Council agrees with me on this matter, and to this end they have already determined who is to be my successor."

More reactions of surprise, as well as confusion. The heads of Konoha's clans exchanged glances. The Hyuuga, in particular, suddenly seemed mistrustful of the whole situation. The crowd began to buzz with tension.

"I hereby renounce my title and my attributions," Hiruzen said, "in favor of Fugaku Uchiha."

There were audible gasps this time, loud enough to make the members of the Police Force tense up, ready for anything.

"Fugaku has long been a valued member of our community and a talented shinobi. I believe he will help bring about a new age of peace and prosperity to Konoha. Under his leadership, Konoha will thrive."

Hiruzen removed his Hokage hat and with a final, empty glance at the assembled crowd, he stepped back as Fugaku Uchiha came in full view. The crowd shifted. Most of the shinobi looked uncertain, but some downright glared at the figure standing on the balcony.

"It is with great humility and reluctance," Fugaku began, " that I have decided to accept this weight the Council has seen fit to place on my shoulders."

"Usurper!"

Fugaku's attention turned to the back of the crowd, where a space had formed around the man who had shouted. The Police Force moved forward, but Fugaku raised a hand to stop them.

"In the past years there has been a growing sense of distrust towards the Uchiha clan. I plan to show you all there is no reason for this animosity between us. After all, we are, each and every one of us, shinobi of Konohagakure. We are all working towards the same purpose and that is the safety of this village and everyone in it."

"Traitors!"

This time, the threat was not empty. The shinobi threw a kunai at Fugaku before two members of the Police Force rushed to restrain him. Fugaku made no move to defend himself, but the ANBU to his left jumped forward and deflected the kunai.

"Fugaku!" Hiashi Hyuuga stepped forward and the crowd parted to let him pass. "Everyone here knows that the Uchiha have been planning to take over this village for years. We can only suspect foul play. I, for one, will not stand for this treachery and disregard for authority."

"Are you standing up against the Council's decision?" Fugaku asked.

"I am standing up for what I believe: you have somehow influenced the Council's decision and staged this succession."

"How dare you raise such accusations against me? What proof do you have?"

But Hiashi ignored his questions. "By all means, ascend, Uchiha. Throw this village into chaos, if you are so determined to see it burn. However, do not expect all of us to help you destroy all that we have worked for."

With those words, Hiashi Hyuuga untied his headband and threw it on the ground. The rest of his clan was quick to follow his example. Fugaku watched them file away towards the gate. It was not like he had expected the Hyuuga to cooperate. After all, their clans had been at odds for a long time.

"Your defiance will not be without consequences, Hiashi," he called out. His threat seemed to fall on deaf ears. Anger surged within him, but Fugaku controlled himself. He could not behave like this here, for all to see.

Others started to walk away from the crowd. Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi looked at Shikaku Nara, who seemed distraught. Behind them, a group of shinobi picked a fight with members of the Police Force and were quickly silenced.

"This is madness," Inoichi uttered under his breath.

"Madness, yes," Shikaku said. "But this is not the right time to pick a fight."

"What should we do?"

Shikaku's jaw tensed and relaxed, as if he were chewing on the answer. "Without Hokage-sama and the Hyuugas with us, we stand no chance against the entire Uchiha clan. Without proof of their treachery, there is nothing we can do. I believe the best course of action is to remain neutral until everyone's allegiance is clear."

"By then it may already be too late," Inoichi murmured, looking at Fugaku Uchiha.


	2. Shisui's Plan

**Chapter 2 - Shisui's Plan**

"This is a disaster," Shisui said.

They were standing on the roof of a building, watching everyone as they left the courtyard where the assembly had taken place. Even with the Konoha Police Force mingled with the crowd, angry comments and snide remarks were loud enough for even them to hear.

Itachi was standing beside his friend, dressed in full ANBU uniform. He was as disconsolate as Shisui, thinking of how miserably they had failed to prevent his father's coup d'état. This had not been supposed to happen, but Hiruzen had asked for more time once, twice… until they had run out of time before they even knew it.

"Any way you look at it, this is bound to end badly," Shisui went on, his brows furrowed in concern. "Your father did not think this through. If we allow this to go on, civil war will tear this village apart and the other nations are sure to take advantage at the first sign of weakness. If we stop it, our clan will be destroyed root and stem and the Uchiha name will be disgraced."

Itachi pushed away his thoughts about Sasuke. However much it pained him, it was clear to him what had to be done. Judging by the tone of his voice, so did Shisui.

"My father must be stopped at all costs."

Shisui nodded, then his eyes went down to the street, where there was some commotion. Two members of the Police Force pushed a man down to the ground.

"What did you say?!" one of the Uchiha shouted at the man.

The man mumbled something inaudible to Itachi and Shisui, but which seemed to inflame the two Police Force even more. One of them pulled out a kunai and was ready to strike when a _kunoichi_ from the ANBU jumped between them and kicked the Uchiha in the chest, sending him tumbling down the street. People hurried to the side of the street to avoid the fight.

"I think we'd better get down there," Shisui said.

Itachi recognized the _kunoichi_ as his fellow ANBU teammate, Akane of the Nara clan, and was quick to agree. They jumped down from the roof and rushed between her and the remaining member of the Police Force. Itachi placed his hand on Akane's just as she was about to form a seal and Shisui grabbed the Uchiha's wrist as he was about to throw a handful of shuriken.

"This is neither the right time nor the place to start a fight, Akira-san," Shisui told the man he was holding.

"She shouldn't have interfered!"

Shisui's grip on the man's wrist tightened ever-so-slightly. "Fugaku-sama will have a word with you tonight," he said. "The Konoha Police is here to protect the people of Konoha, nothing more. Is that understood?"

The Uchiha begrudgingly nodded and Shisui released him. However, he did not fail to notice the angry looks of the people who had witnessed this scene. Aside from the Uchiha, he could not think of a single person who could have been pleased with Fugaku's nomination as Hokage. He looked at Itachi, who nodded and tapped the _kunoichi_ 's arm. The three of them then left the street and ran across the rooftops towards the outskirts.

They stopped in a clearing at the edge of the forest bordering the Uchiha district. The sun was going down beyond the treetops and the only sound was the thundering of the waterfall nearby. Itachi removed his ANBU mask and so did the _kunoichi_. She looked younger than Shisui and older than Itachi, with blue-grey eyes and long, dark hair tied in a high ponytail in the Nara fashion.

"Shisui, this is Akane, from the Nara clan," Itachi said. "She's my teammate." He also quickly gave Shisui a look that said 'she can be trusted', which Shisui found surprising.

"Pleasure to meet you, Shisui-san," the girl said, "although I wish it were under different circumstances."

"Likewise," he said, cautiously. There was enough hatred aimed at the Uchiha as it was. If she was someone who could help, as Itachi seemed to indicate, it would do no good to discourage her, but he was not about to trust just anyone. The girl seemed to regard him just as cautiously.

Sharp as always, Itachi was the one to break the ice. "My father's bold move seems to have set everyone on edge."

Shisui sighed and plopped down at the base of a tree. "This happened right under our noses. If neither of us knew about it, it means Fugaku-sama already suspects we are not serving the clan… which puts you and me at risk, Itachi. We'll have to be careful."

"Surely he wouldn't suspect you."

"Your father is a shrewd man," Shisui said with a smile. "I wouldn't be so quick to put it past him. He knows you and I are close."

"Do you plan to stop him, then?"

Akane's question lingered in the air between the three of them for a few moments. Shisui turned his head, his sharingan blazing crimson. She gazed back into it, unafraid. It seemed her trust in Itachi had extended to him, as well.

"Yeah," he said. "That's how it is. Since we failed to prevent this, it's our duty now to stop it before the situation spirals out of control. The only problem is deciding how we are to go about it. My plan before this happened was to use Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku-sama and compel him to negotiate with the village leaders. However, I'm afraid this subtle mind-control genjutsu would not be enough to fix this."

"But you do have something else in mind," she said, taking the cue from his tone.

"Yeah," Shisui said, turning his gaze to Itachi. "Izanami."

Itachi was taken aback. Izanami was a forbidden technique that would render one of the user's eyes blind. It would also give his father a way out, as long as he admitted he had made a mistake in seizing control over Konoha.

"Fugaku-sama is only the tip of the iceberg," Akane said. "What about the rest of your clan?"

Shisui looked grim as he spoke. "They will need to be distracted while I deal with Fugaku-sama. I was hoping we might covertly seek help from the heads of the other clans. We need as many shinobi as we can get to help fight the Konoha Police Force. Most importantly, we need to get the Hyuugas to fight."

"That won't be difficult, but you two should stay out of it," the _kunoichi_ told them. "If the Hyuugas know of your involvement, they may not trust your intentions and refuse to act. I think it's best if I talk to my uncle, Shikaku, about this. He will know what to do."

"It's true, no one in the village would trust an Uchiha now," Shisui said with a bitter smile. "It would be of great help if you would be our liaison."

"Understood. I will speak to my uncle tonight," Akane said before putting on her mask and vanishing in the trees.

"Meanwhile, Itachi, we must give Fugaku-sama no further reason to suspect anything. You and I will do our duty to him as the head of our clan and the leader of this village and obey any order he gives us."

Itachi nodded thoughtfully. For now, it seemed like a sound plan. He did not want to think of the bloodbath that would ensue the confrontation between Konoha's shinobi and the Uchiha clan.

"Itachi…"

He looked up at Shisui and saw the pain and sadness etched on his face.

"There are greater things at stake here. Whether we stop this or not, the Uchiha clan is doomed."

"I understand," Itachi said, his thoughts once more going to his little brother.


	3. Kidnapping an Heir

**Chapter 3 – Kidnapping an Heir  
**

"Where have you been?" Fugaku Uchiha asked when Itachi stepped into the Hokage's office. _His_ office now. The thought made him swell with carefully concealed pride.

"There was some unrest after the assembly," Itachi said. "I had to settle some… incidents on the street."

Fugaku nodded. "It was to be expected. The people are disgruntled, especially after the Hyuuga clan's act of defiance. It shows how little trust they have in the Uchiha."

 _With good reason,_ Itachi thought.

"I trust things will settle down, eventually," Fugaku went on. "However, I cannot ignore and I will not tolerate the Hyuugas' insubordination. I expect Hiashi's determination to see me removed from my position will make him strike at the first opportunity…"

Itachi wondered where his father was going with this. A feeling of dread curled up in his stomach like a sleeping demon.

"… which is why we are going to strike first." Fugaku paused, carefully analyzing the expression on his son's face. Itachi, however, did not seem surprised. "I am going to entrust this matter to you, Itachi. You are to kidnap the Hyuuga heiress tonight. She is only a ten-year old mewling girl. As long as you can slip through their defenses, this mission should not give you any trouble."

Itachi needed all his strength to keep the disapproval from showing on his face for his father's sharingan to see. _You and I will do our duty and obey any order he gives us._ Shisui's words rang in his mind, reminding him what needed to be done.

Would the Hyuuga clan help fight against the Uchiha with their heiress held hostage? Shisui had not anticipated such a bold move from Fugaku. This one act could ruin their whole plan. The clans would either bow to Fugaku's will for fear their heirs would be taken or they would rally too early and be defeated.

Whatever the outcome of this dangerous game his father was playing, Itachi had no way out. All he could do was accept the assignment without hesitation, as Shisui had instructed.

"Go, then," Fugaku said. "Bring me Hinata Hyuuga."

Itachi hid his face behind the ANBU mask and left the Hokage's tower, heading full-speed toward the Hyuuga district. In the darkness of the night, he was no more than a fleeting shadow. Did the Hyuuga expect such a swift retaliation from the Uchiha? Had they bolstered their defenses around the perimeter? Question after question rushed through his mind and remained unanswered. As he neared his destination, however, Itachi pushed all questions from his mind and allowed himself to focus on the task at hand.

It was well past midnight now and the Hyuuga estate was suffused in darkness. Itachi waited for a while, perched on a branch, watching for any sign of guards on patrol. Even concealed by the foliage as he was, he could not have hoped to escape detection by the Byakugan. He remained still for almost an hour before daring to cross the wall and rushed through the gardens. He had studied the map of the estate and was able to sneak into the inner courtyard avoiding detection. From here, the way to Lady Hinata's room was easy.

He tiptoed along a veranda and opened a panel that led to an inner corridor. Across this corridor, he pulled another panel door and walked in, making sure to shut it behind him. His sharingan saw the small sleeping form of the Hyuuga heiress, huddled under the blankets. Itachi approached her bed cautiously and pulled a vial from his pocket, which he opened and placed under the girl's nose.

Hinata inhaled deeply and wrinkled her nose at the scent, though she did not wake up. Nor would she, Itachi knew. At least not for a while. He carefully picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. To him, she seemed light as a pillow. For a moment, he hesitated, thinking of how he would feel if someone were to steal his little brother in the night. Hinata and Sasuke were the same age.

… _obey any order he gives us._

Itachi gritted his teeth, adjusted her position to allow him to make a quick escape and left the way he had come. " _You're dooming us all,"_ he mentally accused his father as he ran. As he was putting distance between himself and the Hyuuga estate, Hinata stirred. Her eyes fluttered open for a moment, but she was too groggy to move or understand what was happening.

"W-who are y-you?"

Itachi's sharingan looked into her milky eyes. "It's all right, Hinata-sama. You're safe. Go back to sleep." He was smiling, and though she could not have seen it through his mask, she heard it in his voice. Her eyes closed and her head hung down as she fell asleep again. Had she made any attempt to fight him, he would have had to put her in a genjutsu. He was relieved it was not the case.

An hour later, he landed on the balcony of the Hokage tower and entered the office. His father was still there, looking through some papers. His eyes lit up at the sight of the Hyuuga heiress. Itachi carefully placed her limp form on a sofa and turned around to face his father. Fugaku smiled.

"Well done. That's my son," he said. "Did you run into any trouble with the Hyuuga?"

Itachi said no.

"Go home and rest, then. You've earned it. I'll make arrangements for the girl."

Itachi glanced at her once more before leaving the way he had come. He had not told his father, but this kidnapping had felt to him a bit too easy to accomplish. He could not shake the feeling that something was wrong, that the Hyuuga would have the last laugh in this matter.

On his way home, he summoned a crow. Shisui had to know about the kidnapping, but he could not deliver the message himself. Visiting his friend at this time of night would certainly not go unnoticed and his father would have one more reason to suspect them of being up to something. As soon as the crow flew, Itachi finally allowed himself a moment of peace as he walked home.

The Uchiha district was quiet when he arrived. One of the Uchiha on patrol nodded at him in greeting. A cat yowled in the night somewhere. Itachi entered his house, took off his sandals and walked along the corridor to his room. As tired as he was, he knew he would fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, however he paused along the way to peer into his little brother's room.

Sasuke was sound asleep, sprawled all over the bed, as usual. He smiled, and watched as he tossed and turned in his sleep, mumbling about something called a 'naruto'. He wondered what he had been up to all day, whether he realized the gravity of the situation they were in. Their mother had likely protected Sasuke from the news, but her protection would not last for long, as tomorrow was a school day.

Suddenly feeling that emptiness in the pit of his stomach again, Itachi pulled the panel door to his brother's room and walked away.


	4. The Final Preparations

**Chapter 4 – The Final Preparations**

Hiashi Hyuuga was feeding the _koi_ fish in the pond when the servant came to tell him of a visitor. He ceased the mechanical motion of throwing food into the water, uncertain. Surely the guards would not have allowed an Uchiha to walk on the grounds. And if not an Uchiha come to boast about their prisoner, who would come see him in the early hours of the morning?

"A young _kunoichi_ by the name of Akane, from the Nara clan," the servant told him when he inquired. That piqued his interest. So, the other clans were finally recovering their wits after the shock. Of course the Nara, who were known for their remarkable intelligence, would be the first to react.

Hiashi walked across the garden and into the meeting room, where he found the visitor waiting for him. She was young, certainly no older than fifteen, and had donned, for the occasion, a _yukata_ in auburn and gold. She rose when he entered, keeping her hands folded demurely in her lap. Akane, was it? She had clearly been instructed in these arts, he found himself thinking, though he wondered if she was a flower as strong as she was pretty.

"Nara Akane," he repeated the name he had been given. "What brings you here?"

"Forgive me for showing up unannounced, Hiashi-sama. I did not wish to attract any unwanted attention. Security is tightening around the village in the aftermath of the recent events."

Hiashi kneeled on the _tatami_ rugs and Akane did the same.

"I will not waste more of your time than is necessary," she said, "so I will get to the purpose of my visit. Some of the other clans will be rallying against the Uchiha at the earliest opportunity: my clan, the Yamanakas and the Akimichis, along with other shinobi who are loyal to Sarutobi Hiruzen-sama. In order to defeat the Uchiha, we must stand and fight together. The power of the Hyuuga clan would be invaluable to us in this attempt to restore Hokage-sama to his rightful place."

The underlying question was clear to Hiashi. _Will you join us?_

"Itachi Uchiha kidnapped the heiress of the Hyuuga clan last night," he said, looking her in the eyes.

"Hinata-sama has been kidnapped?" she asked, and he saw genuine surprise on her face. She was either a spy of the enemy and an extraordinary actress or had genuinely not known. After all, the news had yet to break out and everyone from the Hyuuga clan was forbidden to speak about it. "How do you know he was the one who did it?"

"I watched him as he took her."

The Nara girl suddenly seemed confused. Whether by his words or by his calm demeanor, he could not tell. She quickly regained her composure, however.

"Why didn't you stop him, then?" she asked.

"I thought it best to let them think they have leverage on us."

"But Hinata-sama _is_ your heir."

"She is weak," he said. "Losing her would not be a great blow to this clan if greater things were at stake, which I believe is the current situation." The _kunoichi_ seemed to be at a loss for words. "To answer your question, yes. The Hyuuga clan will fight to restore Hiruzen Sarutobi to his rightful position."

The Nara girl pressed her lips together as if to avoid speaking any words that would be better left unsaid. Hiashi approved of her reaction. She bowed ceremoniously and he replied with a polite half-bow. The diplomatic meeting was over.

Hiashi rose and left the room, walking along the corridor to the training room. Hanabi was practicing her kicks on a dummy. A single look at his younger daughter told him she would be the Hyuuga heir Hinata could never be.

* * *

Shisui was training when a _yukata-_ clad figure stopped by the fence, peering at him from behind a paper fan. He did not recognize her at first, as her hair was down on her shoulders instead of tied at the top of her head, but he recognized her by her voice when she said hello.

"Akane-san," he said, smiling. "I'm sorry, you look so different."

"Did you know Itachi kidnapped Hinata Hyuuga last night?" she whispered.

Shisui made an apologetic face. "Yeah… he sent me a message last night, after he did it. We thought it was best if you didn't know anything when you talked to the Hyuugas, so they wouldn't take you for a spy."

She nodded in agreement. "I've spoken to Hiashi-sama. The Hyuuga will fight, even with Hinata-sama being held prisoner."

"I see," he said. So, Hiashi Hyuuga was willing to sacrifice the heiress to his clan. A sensible and shrewd man. "Let's meet in the clearing tonight. Together with Itachi, we'll talk about the final details of this plan."

* * *

Itachi arrived first at the meeting place, well after dark. An owl hooted deep in the woods, but the night was so quiet the sound of its cry almost pierced his ears. He leaned against a rock and crossed his arms, waiting for Shisui and Akane to make their appearance. Shisui suddenly teleported to Itachi's left only a few minutes into his waiting.

"Akane-san should be here too, soon," Shisui said. "She's on patrol duty."

When the Nara _kunoichi_ finally arrived, she ripped her ANBU mask off her face and flumped down on the grass, out of breath. "The Police Force were harassing people again," she said after drinking some water, having replenished her oxygen supply. "They're picking more fights by the day."

"We'll give them a real fight, soon enough," Shisui said, then addressed Itachi. "When are you on guard duty outside the Hogake's office?"

"Tomorrow night," Itachi said.

"That's on short notice, but we should be able to manage. I've been thinking of how to better put this plan into action. Here's what I've come up with: Akane, you will talk to Shikaku-san. He must come up with a plan to distract the Police Force and draw them into a trap. You should also talk to everyone who agreed to fight to let them know when to be there.

"Meanwhile, Itachi, you will be standing guard outside the Hokage's office. I will come see Fugaku-sama, seemingly to inform him of the revolt. Now listen carefully and do exactly as I say: when you hear a vase break, you enter the office and ask if everything's alright. You are not to remove your ANBU mask under any circumstances."

Itachi frowned at these odd instructions, but he knew better than to doubt Shisui. He nodded in understanding and his friend went on: "Most importantly, remember this: no matter what happens, do not give your father any reason to suspect your involvement."

Shisui's eyes moved from Itachi to Akane and back. The two gave their approval. Akane stood up and Shisui held out his hand: "It's been a pleasure working with you, Akane-san," he said, smiling as he shook her hand, "although I wish it were under better circumstances."

The three then left the clearing, each going in a different direction. Though Itachi and Shisui were both headed home, they had agreed to take different routes in order to avoid suspicion. Tonight was going to be a long night, though tomorrow night was likely going to be even longer.


	5. The Spark That Ignites the Flame

**Chapter 5 – The Spark That Ignites the Flame  
**

The explosion reverberated through the ground under their feet from blocks away. Akane looked over her shoulder for a moment as fire roared in the distance, visible over the rooftops. Her attention then turned to the Konoha Police Force Headquarters, as most of the Uchiha stormed out of the building, headed for the explosion site.

Her older brother, Enki, was in charge of this part of the mission. There were ten of them and likely only a handful of Uchiha remaining inside the Police Force Headquarters. They waited, hidden, until the Uchiha rushing to put out the fire were out of sight and out of mind. Now their only concern were the ones inside. Akane took a deep breath as Enki finally gave the signal to move out.

The two Hyuuga shinobi on the team went in first, followed by Enki and herself. Then came the others. The Uchiha were taken aback by so many shinobi suddenly rushing into the building, but there were more of them than Shikaku had anticipated. Enki moved before half of them had a chance to pull out their weapons or bring their hands together to form a single seal.

" _Kage Nui no Jutsu!"_ he said. (Shadow Sewing Jutsu)

One of the _chuunin_ on their team screamed as he made the mistake of looking into an Uchiha's sharingan. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony. Enki's jutsu had not ensnared all of them, either. The Hyuugas tackled some, while others decided to break Enki's Shadow Sewing Jutsu. Akane deflected their kunai and shuriken with her ANBU blade, protecting her brother.

 _Don't look in their eyes, don't look in their eyes, don't look, don't,_ she kept chanting in her head, forcing her eyes to look at their chests instead. It was difficult to anticipate their moves this way, difficult to keep up with them. Her eyes stopped wandering as she noticed one of the Uchiha start making hand seals in rapid succession.

Tiger. _No,_ she thought.

Ram. _Even they would not be so stupid as to-_

Monkey. Boar. "Fall back!" she shouted, though her scream barely reached the others as they fought their own enemies. Enki turned his head and realized what was happening, but he was torn between releasing the rest of the Uchiha and escaping.

Horse. Akane made a step back.

Tiger. " _Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

Time seemed to slow down. Akane saw the flame as it burst from the Uchiha's mouth, growing into a scorching ball of death coming their way. She raised her arms to brace herself for the attack and jumped backwards, but the moment she landed, the blast threw her backwards through a window and smashed her against the concrete, shaking the very soul within her.

She coughed and blinked fast, but the world seemed to be coming in and out of focus of its own accord. Her ears were ringing, but at least her body was in too much shock to register pain just yet. Akane forced herself to stand, failed and fell back on her knees. She tried again and managed to avoid an Uchiha's kunai by a hair's breadth.

Akane jumped backwards as the Uchiha charged again and again. It was all she could do to avoid his attacks as she gathered her strength and harnessed her chakra. She brought her hands together while she ducked and feinted. Dragon, Tiger, Rat.

" _Kage-Kubishibari no Jutsu!"_ (Shadow-Neck Binding Jutsu)

The hand-shaped shadow swiftly wrapped around the Uchiha's body and settled on his neck, squeezing until his windpipe collapsed under the pressure. Akane released the jutsu and stepped backwards, panting. The Uchiha's body fell with a dull thud. She looked around, taking in the aftermath of the fireball jutsu.

The ground floor of the Police Force Headquarters was burning, all of its windows smashed. One of the Hyuuga was now holding off two Uchiha. A _jounin_ and three _chuunin_ were still alive, facing off another sharingan-wielder.

Looking for her brother, Akane turned around only to come face to face with Akira Uchiha, who had confronted her in the street after the assembly. His kunai clashed with her sword, Akane raising her weapon in the nick of time to deflect his. She pushed him away and turned, aiming to deliver a kick to his side, but his sharingan saw through it and he moved to the side.

"Give it up, Nara," he said, "you don't stand a chance."

He had not recognized her, as she had been wearing her ANBU mask then. Akane charged, pushing him back. Her body was pumped full with adrenaline and moving on its own now, without waiting for her mind to process everything. Akira was caught off guard by the sudden change in her stance and reacted a moment too late. _Chidori_ came to life in her fist and went straight through his chest. Akane felt a pressure in her abdomen, but thought nothing of it and pushed Akira off her arm.

She turned her attention to the remaining Uchiha. Her hands moved before she even knew it. Rat. Bird.

" _Kage Nui no Jutsu!"_

The three Uchiha halted, held in place by her shadows. _Game over,_ Akane thought. Her mind was starting to work again now. Feeling returned in her body as the effect of the adrenaline began to pass. She held the jutsu until her remaining teammates took care of the Uchiha. Her knees buckled under her. _Enki,_ she thought as her eyes drifted to the shattered remains of the ground floor. Pain exploded in her body. She looked down and saw the handle of Akira's kunai poking from her abdomen. Akane closed her eyes and darkness swallowed her whole.

* * *

Five minutes after the explosion rattled the windows of the Hogake's tower, Shisui ran up the stairs and stormed into the Hokage's office without paying attention to Itachi, who was standing by the door. Itachi waited, ears listening for the crash of the vase. For a couple of minutes, all he heard was the muffled conversation between Shisui and his father.

He was starting to worry he had missed the cue when-

 _Crash._

Itachi rushed through the door.

"Hogake-sama, is everything alright?" he asked.

Shisui had activated his Mangekyou and he was staring into Fugaku's eyes. His father was standing, not a muscle on his body moving. Itachi waited, unsure what to do. Was this the Izanami, then?

"Hokage-sama?"

Itachi took out his blade, but before he could make another move, Fugaku's sharingan bled into his dull colored eyes and in an instant his kunai pierced Shisui's stomach, slamming him into the wall. Itachi stared, paralyzed.

"Shisui!" he cried out.

Fugaku pulled out the kunai and Shisui's body slid down the wall, leaving behind a trail of blood. Pain shot through Itachi's eyes and he took his hand to his face, but his fingers hit the mask and he remembered. _You are not to remove your ANBU mask under any circumstances._

"Itachi…"

Itachi felt something warm on his cheeks, but ignored it. Fugaku turned to face his son.

"Shisui betrayed us," he said.

Itachi nodded, but his eyes drifted to his friend's body. He felt sick to his stomach. Shisui's plan had failed. For a moment he had actually thought… he had believed… hoped…

Fugaku watched his son straighten up, awaiting his orders. "You are dismissed," he said.

Itachi opened the door and returned to his post. Pain bloomed in his chest as if he had been stabbed, too, but he gritted his teeth and endured. His mind felt numb. He closed his eyes and fought the pain. He would grieve for his friend, but he would not do so here, so close to his murderer.


	6. Rising From the Ashes

**Chapter 6 – Rising From the Ashes**

A warm breeze fluttered through the transparent curtains hanging at the window. A ray of sunlight fell on his arm, warming his skin, but Itachi could not feel it for the cold within. He looked up at the clock on the wall. He had been sitting in a chair by her bed for over an hour and his legs had grown numb. He had not even realized how much time had passed since he had arrived at the hospital.

Something caught his attention. A change in her breathing pattern, a muscle twitching on her face. Akane's eyes fluttered open and her head turned. For a moment she seemed not to recognize him, then her lips cracked into the ghost of a smile.

"You're awake," he said, moving closer to help her sit up and adjust her pillow.

"You seem surprised," she noted in a voice hoarse from disuse. Akane cleared her throat before speaking again. "How long have I been asleep?"

"You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for five days now. Don't you remember?"

"No… Did Shisui-"

A shadow fell on Itachi's face. "No."

Akane's smile faded. She turned her head to look out the window. Itachi had lost Shisui. Akane had lost her brother. The pain they shared went beyond words. For a while, the only sound in the room was the song of birds coming through the open window.

"How bad is it?" she asked in a voice so quiet Itachi almost did not hear.

"Both sides have suffered losses," he said, "but the Police Force managed to gain the upper hand in the fight that night. Most of the clan leaders have been taken hostage. They are to be judged for treason in a couple of days." Itachi paused, afraid this may be too much for her to bear given her condition, but Akane seemed as numb as him. "I'm afraid the situation is dire. My father cannot allow the remaining Uchiha to leave on missions and leave him unprotected, but he cannot send any other teams either, for fear of sabotage and defection. In a little while, I think, Konoha will not be receiving any more requests for help."

Akane scoffed. "Who would submit missions to a village in turmoil?"

No missions accomplished meant no income. No income meant a collapsing economy. Itachi knew the downward spiral Konoha was facing. Even civilians had started leaving the village. Who would stay, given how Konoha was turning from a safe haven to a battleground?

"Your father must be stopped," she said, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. "He would not expect another attack if it were to happen so soon after the first one, especially if he is holding the clan leaders hostage in return for submission."

Itachi had been turning this same idea over in his head for the past few days. He knew they could not abandon everything simply because one plan had failed. He realized now that, in his own way, Shisui had been preparing him for this very purpose. All of his instructions for the night of the attack made sense to him now. He had wanted Itachi there to witness his death in case he failed. He had wanted Itachi to obtain the Mangekyou and do what Shisui had not been able to.

"Without help from the clans, the remaining members of our clan can't be defeated," Itachi said. "Even if we stop my father, they will pick up where he left off."

"Then we find help elsewhere. The Hyuuga have more sense than most and they will fight even with Hiashi-sama being held by your father. But clan members are not the only shinobi who fight for Konoha. Kakashi-sensei will fight. Tenzo will fight. Maito Gai, too. And if we can break your father's genjutsu, Hokage-sama _will_ fight."

Itachi was starting to understand. With the right strategy, a small taskforce made up of choice members had more chances to succeed where great numbers may fail. Besides, the shinobi she had mentioned were all more than capable of handling several Uchiha on their own. He nodded as the plan began to take shape in his mind.

"I'll come up with a strategy and see what I can do while you rest and recover," Itachi said, standing up. "I'm going to need your help, as well."

Itachi left the hospital and headed for the ANBU headquarters. None of the teams which had returned since the Uchiha coup d'état had been sent out again, including Team Ro. Instead, they had been assigned an increasing number of tasks around the village given the surge in street fights and… other incidents. He remember being called 'Uchiha scum' the day before and being turned away from a flower shop the day before that.

Once he had changed into his ANBU outfit, Itachi set out for Hiruzen Sarutobi's home. He found the old man sitting in a chair on his balcony. There was an open book in his lap, but his empty gaze was aimed at the sky. He did not give the ANBU member's arrival more attention than he would have given a fly buzzing by, not until Itachi removed his mask and addressed him.

"Hokage-sama."

"Ah, Itachi," Hiruzen said, turning his head to look at him. Itachi, however, felt as if he were looking right through him. "Your father is doing a wonderful job, isn't he? I knew he would be exactly what Konoha needed."

It pained Itachi to see such a strong man reduced to a mindless puppet. For a moment, he feared the worst: that the old man's mind was too far gone to bring back to reality. Nevertheless, he stepped closer and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. " _Kai."_

Hiruzen started like a man who suddenly realizes he has forgotten something important and took a hand to his head to rub the bridge of his nose. "What… Itachi? What are you doing here?"

"Forgive me, Hokage-sama," Itachi said. "My father trapped your mind in a genjutsu using Kotoamatsukami and manipulated you into resigning and the Council into making him Hokage."

"What?!" Hiruzen said, raising his voice as he jumped on his feet. The book in his lap fell on the floor.

"Shisui and I tried to put an end to it, but our first attempt was unsuccessful and Shisui was killed."

"How long ago did this happen?"

"It's been over a week since Fugaku Uchiha named himself Hokage. I'm afraid the situation is dire."

Itachi proceeded to explained everything to Hiruzen, from the Hyuugas' defiance at the assembly to the failure of their first plan. He also told the Hokage about the current plan he was about to set in motion. Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully.

"Are you well enough to co-ordinate an attack on the remaining Uchiha while I deal with my father, Hokage-sama?" he asked.

"Leave them to me. I will send word to those who can help. But Itachi," he said, looking into the young Uchiha's eyes, "be careful. Your father is a shrewd man and a powerful shinobi. I would not want Konoha to lose you the way we lost Shisui."

"I'm not going alone," Itachi said, putting his ANBU mask back on.


	7. Beyond Redemption

**Chapter 7 – Beyond Redemption**

Sasuke's bare feet pattered as he ran towards his brother, who was just putting on his sandals.

" _Nii-san_!"

Itachi looked up, smiling. Sasuke halted beside him and tucked his hands behind his back, swinging back and forth on the soles of his feet. " _Nii-san_ , can you teach me the _Goukakyuu today?"_

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I have to leave on a mission."

"You're always busy. I'm bored."

Their mother had not allowed Sasuke to attend his classes at the Academy in over a week. With all the hatred aimed at the Uchiha, Itachi could not blame her. He did not like seeing his little brother so unhappy, but at least he was safe at home. He motioned for Sasuke to come closer and poked him in the forehead. He fell for it every single time.

"Sorry, Sasuke. Maybe next time," Itachi said. _I pray there will be one._ Sasuke was left pouting on the porch.

Itachi dropped by the ANBU headquarters to change into his uniform and left to meet up with Akane. As he sped through the trees surrounding the ANBU training grounds, he thought about the note he had found in his locker the day after Shisui's death. His friend had left him with instructions on how the Izanami worked. However…

Akane was waiting for him when he arrived at the meeting place. She was pacing around, looking nervous.

"I've been practicing what you asked me to," she said, "but I'm not confident it's going to work like you hope it will. If I miss…"

"I've seen you do it without fail every time for the past few months."

"On an unmoving target! You're taking too great of a risk!"

Itachi placed a hand on her shoulder. She saw her own reflection in his sharingan. "You can do this," he said. "I trust you. I want _you_ to trust yourself, as well."

"Losing you would mean the end of this village. There's too much at stake for you to take this gamble."

"I'm not taking a gamble," he said with a smile. "It's almost time for us to go. Are you going to do this or not?"

Itachi saw her relent. He had not intended to put so much pressure on her, but he was confident she would pull this off. Otherwise, he would have found another way. They put on their masks and left, heading towards the Hokage Tower. By now, Hiruzen would be dropping the pretense of still being under the genjutsu and would be rallying the others to fight against the Police Force.

* * *

Fugaku Uchiha was in his office, reviewing the latest reports on the situation in Konoha. Things had gone from bad to worse, contrary to his expectations after imprisoning the heads of the clans. There was much unrest in the village and people were leaving in greater numbers with each passing day.

There was a knock at the door. He had not expected Itachi to be the one to come in. As far as he knew, Itachi's shift for the day was to be spent patrolling the eastern sector.

"What are you doing here?"

Itachi shut the door behind him. "We need to talk," he said.

"What about?"

Fugaku watched his son step closer and remove his ANBU mask. The dark circles under his eyes were starting to look like bruises, he noted. If Itachi was not getting enough sleep with business being what it was of late, something was on his mind. He had an inkling of what that something might be, though he hoped to be wrong.

"This has gone too far, don't you think?" Itachi said.

Fugaku smirked. "So that's what it is."

He stood up and turned to look outside the window, his hands clasped behind his back. He had long suspected Itachi of being disloyal to the clan, but it had seemed, lately, that he had been spending less time with Shisui than he used to. Fugaku thought himself a fool to have fallen for it. They had gone to great lengths to keep him in the dark and they had succeeded. It was now obvious to him that Itachi had come to finish what Shisui had started.

"Itachi. You are first and foremost a member of this clan and your duty to the Uchiha name comes before your duty to this village."

"You have dishonored our name," Itachi said, "and you have torn this village apart in your ambition. My duty is to my conscience."

"Is this it, then? You plan to kill me, destroy what's left of our clan and… what? What will you do afterwards? If you think for one moment this village will commend you for what you have done and forget whose blood runs in your veins, you are sorely mistaken."

Itachi had thought of what would come and was aware of the stigma that would forever cling to the Uchiha name. In spite of all his efforts, he knew he would become an outcast in the eyes of the villagers. Still, he was determined to stand his ground. Nothing his father would say could convince him to back down. Things had gone too far for that to happen. He drew his blade from its sheath on his back.

"And what about Sasuke?"

Itachi's heart skipped a beat and his grip on the blade's handle tightened, turning his knuckles white and sending numbness through his fingers. His father had pinpointed his weakness and was going to exploit it.

"If he is somehow spared from being killed alongside his family, what will become of him?"

"You should have thought about that before you threw Konoha into chaos," Itachi replied, his tone holding an undercurrent of the anger he had been holding in for days. "Sasuke's wellbeing is my concern now."

Fugaku scoffed. "I trust Shisui has left you with instructions on how the Izanami works."

"He did..."

The moment Fugaku Uchiha attacked him, Itachi knew it was over.

His father eyes were wide with surprise, as he was unable to understand why his body was not listening to his commands anymore. The kunai he was holding was trembling in his hand as he struggled to move it. The tip of Itachi's blade was poking his belly through the Hokage robe. Fugaku's eyes moved frantically and it was not until he saw the shadow coming from under his office door that it dawned on him. By then, however, it was too late.

"… but you are beyond redemption," Itachi finished, pushing the blade in with one swift move.

For a moment, Itachi saw his father again as Fugaku looked into his eyes with a kind of wonder and pride. He let go of the blade and stepped back, leaning against the wall to keep himself from falling as he felt his knees threatening to give in on him. From behind the door, Akane released the shadow jutsu and his father's body collapsed in a growing puddle of blood.

Itachi slid down along the wall, his eyes blurry with tears. He blinked them away as the door opened and Akane stepped inside. Her eyes lingered on his father's body for a moment, then she turned her attention to him.

"Are you hurt?"

Itachi shook his head, too numb to talk. He felt himself beginning to hyperventilate. The air suddenly seemed lacking in oxygen, the walls were closing in on him. Akane kneeled beside him and placed a hand on his chest. The soothing chakra that entered his system opened up his lungs and he drew in a long, shaky breath.

"I'm going to get your little brother," Akane said. "We'll meet you at the ANBU headquarters."

Itachi nodded, dazed, but by the time he realized what she had said, Akane had already gone. He let his head fall back against the wall, feeling powerless for the first time in his life. He had not expected to feel remorse. He let his eyes close as the sharingan faded away.

 _It's over._


	8. Five Months Later

**Chapter 8 - Five Months Later  
**

Sasuke stood on the pier with a fistful of plat pebbles, looking at the lake. The breeze ruffled his hair like a gentle caress. His father used to come here with him. Sasuke's face crunched up in anger. He took a pebble and threw it with his other hand, watching it skip five times on the surface of the water before sinking.

It had been months since then and he had thought the pain was finally starting to fade, yet this place brought back memories that opened the wound anew. He threw another pebble and watched, disconsolate, as it disappeared after only skipping three times.

"What are you up to?"

Sasuke turned around at the sudden sound. He had been too distracted to notice the blonde boy approach. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he said, dropping the pebbles. Some of them rolled off the pier and into the water. Naruto took one which had not, and threw it. Sasuke watched with interest, but it skipped only twice before sinking. " _Dobe,_ " he said with a scoff and a shrug, turning around to leave.

"They hate me too, _dattebayo,_ " Naruto said all of the sudden, making Sasuke stop.

The hands he had shoved into the pockets of his shorts curled into fists. He thought of all the glares he got walking on the street, all the harsh words whispered in his wake and how the other children at the Academy avoided him. He had tried not to let anyone see how much it affected him and still wore the Uchiha symbol on his shirt, if only to show them he did not care.

"So?" he asked, glaring at Naruto. "I don't want to join your losers' club."

He thought Naruto would bristle up and start shouting, but was surprised to notice he rather looked dismayed. Sasuke scoffed and walked away, leaving him standing on the pier like the idiot he was. How was it any of his business, anyway?

The sun was beginning to set as Sasuke walked along the street, lost in thought. At least the usual group of squealing girls had stopped following him everywhere after the downfall of his clan. He passed by a group of older boys talking under the shade of a tree and pretended not to notice their hostile stares.

" _Oi!"_ one of them called after him.

In return for generally being avoided, Sasuke had become an expert at ignoring those who picked on him. He kept walking, directing his thoughts elsewhere with practiced ease. This time, however, things went a step farther than they usually did.

"I'm talking to you, Uchiha scum! Why don't you do the world a favor and throw yourself off a cliff? There'll be one less treacherous wretch walking around like nothing happened."

Sasuke's feet stopped seemingly of their own accord. He half turned and saw that the boys were already coming at him. Two of them grabbed his arms and a third was pulling back his arm to throw a punch.

"Leave him alone, _dattebayo!"_

Naruto stepped in and punched one of the boys holding Sasuke while the third delivered a blow into the Uchiha's stomach. Sasuke doubled up and vanished in a puff of smoke. The real Sasuke watched from a nearby tree as the three boys turned their attention to the idiot. One of them caught him by the collar of his jumpsuit and pulled him close. Sasuke tsked in annoyance.

"Why don't you learn to mind your own business, loser?" the bully asked, pulling his fist back as Naruto stared, wide-eyed.

" _Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

A fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth, blazing in the air close enough to drive the assailants away rather than actually hurt them. Naruto fell in the dirt, gaping. As the fireball shrunk and disappeared, Sasuke gave him a pointed look.

"I can take care of myself, you know." After a moment of thought he walked up to Naruto and held out a hand to help him up. "Thanks anyway," he said with a smirk, making Naruto grin all the way up to his ears.

* * *

It was already dark when he arrived home, at the apartment he now shared with his brother. Itachi was away on missions most of the time, but he usually arranged for his ANBU teammate, Akane, to keep an eye on him and make sure he had everything he needed. Consequently, he was not surprised to find her in the kitchen when he arrived.

"Go wash up, dinner will be ready soon," she said when he poked his head in. "Itachi will be home in a minute, too."

" _Nii-san_?" Sasuke asked, his interest piqued. He had thought Itachi would be away for a few days longer.

"Yeah, he sent word."

Sasuke found himself giddy at the thought and rushed to the bathroom to wash up for dinner. Itachi arrived not ten minutes after Sasuke stepped out of the shower and he was carrying a bag with a box full of _dango._ Sasuke poked his nose in the paper bag and made a face, pushing it away. He hated sweets.

"What are these for?" he asked.

"To celebrate. I got promoted to ANBU captain," Itachi said.

"Congratulations, Itachi," Akane said, setting bowls on the table. "It was about damn time, too."

Itachi chuckled, looking happier than Sasuke had seen him in a long time, in spite of the tiredness. He took a spoonful of _miso_ soup and wrinkled his nose.

"Too salty," he said.

"Sasuke," Itachi admonished him gently.

"It's okay," Akane told him. "I never seem to get it right. Clearly they shouldn't let me anywhere near the medicines to-be-mixed."

"Speaking of, how's your studying going?"

"I have the final exam next week and I still have a lot of ground to cover, so to speak, but it's going, I guess," she said, smiling.

Sasuke looked from one to the other, feeling content. He had put today's trouble behind him the moment he had walked through the door. In spite of everything they had been through, he and Itachi were alright, he thought. Not _everyone_ seemed to hate them just because they were Uchiha. And who knew? Maybe someday they would redeem the family name.


End file.
